The home health nurse, who moved to Pamlico with her husband, Paul Sykes, 35 years ago, told lottery officials she thought, “This can’t be right.”

“I felt like I was looking at it wrong, that can’t be what it says,” said Tina Sykes. “I’ve never been one of those lucky people who wins things.”

But this time, she was a winner. The Wilco stop brought her a $200,000 ticket that’s worth $136,001 after taxes.

The lottery win comes as she and Paul, a builder who said the last five years have been lean ones, are dealing with the untimely stroke of their youngest daughter.

Tina Sykes said she will probably “share a fair amount of it” with her family, but she added she may replace her Honda Civic since it has traveled more than 260,000 miles and has a broken air conditioner.

Paul Sykes said, “It is a relief; her car is rickety and held together with duct tape.”

The family, including two other grown children, Wesley and Danielle, feel good about Tina Sykes win even though “it doesn’t make my sister’s stroke go away,” Wesley Sykes told the Sun Journal.

Paul Sykes said of his wife’s win, “Money helps some things and some, it doesn’t. But with Shelbybeing in the hospital, it is kind of a bright spot for her.”

Sue Book can be reached at 252-635-5665 or sue.book@newbernsj.com. Follow her on Twitter@SueJBook.

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